COOKING WITH KŪMARA

Kāore te kūmara e korero mō tōna ake reka –the kūmara doesn’t speak of its own sweetness.

We understand the sweetness of kūmara, that is, we hear its sweetness when we eat it. I’ve used two varieties of kūmara here – the redskinned kūmara (Owairaka Red), with its creamy white flesh, and orange kūmara with its rich orange flesh. The orange kūmara has a softer texture once cooked and is the sweeter variety.

Look for firm, smooth kūmara and buy regularly, about enough for one week. Store in a cool, dark place.

Kūmara can be unpeeled, simply scrub well.